Business has a duty to comment

THE Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry is both surprised and disappointed by the row over the remarks of the Nedbank chairman, Mr Reuel Khoza.

Mr Khoza’s comments were pertinent and worthy of examination but the Chamber was disappointed in the reaction by senior figures associated with the government.

There have indeed been major leadership failures by government in the last decade. These would include the government’s decision not to allow Eskom to build new power stations well before the present crisis took shape, a range of decisions on mining which caused South Africa to miss the biggest commodity boom in history and the present E-tolling crisis which becomes more confusing by the day and which has already caused deep divisions within the ruling party.

The Chamber believes it is unrealistic to expect business to watch from the sidelines and not to comment on issues of major importance to both the country and to business.

“Business in South Africa is the major player,” said Mr Gordon Metter, Deputy President of the Chamber. “The wide variety of taxes paid and the payment of wages and salaries which are also taxed, is what keeps all the politicians and civil servants in business. The ANC and the Government need to realise that without business they actually do not have jobs.

“It would be much more helpful and beneficial for the country and all our people if those in Government actually listened to what business has